Introduction

Released	20/02/2006

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At their last meeting (Athens, June 2005), the members of the EMWIS Steering Committee agreed on the organisation of a conference addressing the water general directors of the 35 EuroMed countries and the European Commission. This event will be held the 24 and 25 November 2005 in Rome within the framework of the celebration of the 10th birthday of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. The main objectives of this conference are:

To inform the Water General Directors on the System progress
To reaffirm the validity of the system, the commitment of the countries to implement it, to adapt it and to take the ownership
To define the strategy for the next 10 years, in particular:

Integrating of an observatory mechanism for monitoring of trends towards the Millennium Goals relating to water and sanitation in the Mediterranean, as well as the implementation of the water section of the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development

Reinforcing the role of EMWIS as the main tool for the dissemination and sharing of knowledge related to the implementation of the EU regional policy of co-operation (e.g. Neighbourhood policy, Water Framework Directive, Water Initiative)

Evaluating the conditions of potential opening of EMWIS to the civil society

Improving the synergy with the existing international initiatives (e.g. Middle-East Peace Process, Sahara and Sahel Observatory)

To analyse the involvement of the Mediterranean countries not signatory of the Barcelona declaration: Libya and Balkan countries

To renew the presidency and the composition of the Steering Committee.